Piling section



Jan. 4, 1938. A BORE-ERG 2 104,116

FILING SECTION Filed March 2, 1955 lizvenfor: HDOL F BORE/5E6 Patented Jan. 4, 1938 PILING SECTION Adolf -Borbelg, Short Hills, N. .L, assignor to Carnegie Steel Jersey Company, a corporationof New Application March 2, 1935, Serial No. 9,095

2 Claims. (01. 61-60) This invention relates to piling sections that are used for constructing docks, coffer dams, re-

taining walls, and the like, and more particularly those which are substantially z-shaped in section I and provided on their longitudinal edges with interlocking devices of the typeknown in the art as tongue and groove. A steelsheet piling section employing this type of interlock has integrally formed on one of its longitudinal edges a tongue, or what is frequently referred to as a "ball, while the other and opposite edge thereof has a somewhat correspondingly formedgroove or socket.

When a Z-shaped sheet piling section of the "tongue and groove type, as it is made in accordance with the prior art, is driven into the ground, the longitudinal edge carrying the tongue portion of the interlock moves with considerably more speed than the opposite longitudinal edge having the groove. This is for the reason that there isless resistance to the movement of the ton-gue" portion of the interlock, as its area is smaller than that of the groove portion. The tongue and groove Z-shaped sheet piling sections of the prior art are thus caused to creep, lean-over and twist to such an extent as to endanger the successful completion of the construction contemplated.

In order to reduce as much as possible the friction in. the interlock of this type of piling section during the driving thereof it has long been the practice to drive it into the ground with its longitudinal edge carrying the tongue portion of its interlock ahead, and the following section driven with the groove portion of its interlock thereover. This method of handling the sections prevents the soil into which they are driven from entering the groove portion of the interlock as it is being driven into the ground. 40 It is among the objects of the present invention toprovide a novel piling section which is substantially Z-shaped and provided on its longitudinal edges with interlock devices of the tongue and groove type, and one in which there is obviated the usual characteristic of an accelerated movement of the longitudinal edge carrying the tongue portion; whereby creeping, leaning-over and twisting of the construction while it is being driven is completely eliminated.

Another object is the provision of a, piling section of the type described which not only incorporates the advantages acquired by enabling an approximately equal rate of movement of its:-

longitudinal edges but, in addition, one which may be easily and economically rolled.

The foregoing and further objects will be apparent after referring to the drawing, in which:

' Figure 1 is an end elevation of the piling section of the invention. Figure 2 is a detail view showing interlocking. longitudinal edges of a pair of piling sections shown in full-scale'size' according to a preferred embodiment.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, I have disclosed a Z-piling section of the type described which embodies the teachings of the invention. As shown in Figure 1, this. piling section is composed of a web 2, on the edges of which there are disposed a pair of angular and opposltely extending flanges, as at send 4. According-to a specific embodiment the web 2' may be T eof an inch in wall thickness,.as indicated at a,. with alength b of 12 inches. The flanges 3 and 4 which extend angularly and oppositely from the web 2 have equal wall thicknesses c of inch, with equal lengths d of 6 inches.

The remote or extended edges of the flanges 3 and 4 are provided with what are known as interlock areas, this term being intended to define the areas which extend outwardly from those points at which the wall thicknesses thereof are enlarged to provide the tongue and groove portions of the interlock devices.

The interlock area which is provided with the tongue portion of the interlock device is shown as extending from the flange 3, being indicated at 5, while the interlock area which has the groove portion thereof extends from the flange 4 and is indicated at 6. The sizes of the interlock areas 5 and 6 are equal, being shown in full scale in Figure 2 as 3.32 square inches.

A single and substantially triangularly shaped tongue 1 extends from the interlock area 5 with its major axis g ofiset from, but substantially parallel to, the planeof what is intended to be the outside face of the piling.

The interlock area 6 is provided with a. single groove 8 which conforms generally to, but is somewhat larger than, the substantially triangularly shaped tongue I which extends fromv the interlock area 5.

Referring again to Figure 2 of the drawing, I have illustrated a pair of piling sections built in accordance with the teachings of the invention as they appear in assembled relationship. The center line- X of the interlock formed by the tongue 1 and groove 8 is equi-distant from the inward edges of the interlock areas 5 and 6, as indicated by the lines h.

The centers of gravity of the interlock areas 5 and 6 are indicated by the numerals 9 and M,

respectively. These points 9 and I occupy a common plane, as shown by the line i, which is parallel to the outside face of the assembled sections, the latter being illustrated by the dotted line'k. In' addition, the centers of gravity 9 and ID of the interlock areas and 6, respectively, are equi-distant from the center line X of the interlock, as indicated by the lines m in Figure 2.

The piling section of the invention is thus so constructed that a line Y connecting the centers of gravity 9 and H] of the interlock areas 5 and 6, respectively, will contain a point Z which isnot only the center of gravity of the web 2 but also of t the entire section. This condition holds true as long as the flanges 3 and 4 are identical indimen': sion and the center of gravity of the web 2 lies in the intersection of its length and wall thickness, as shown by the point Z, regardless of their respective dimensions. 7

7 With the center of gravity of the piling section as shown, it'may be easily driven into the ground without the creeping, leaning-over and twisting which is usually experienced;

, The terms substantially and approximately' v as used in the claims are intended to define differentiations within 10 per cent of exactness. 7

While I have shown and described one specific embodiment of my invention, it will be under stood that I donot wish to be limited exactly thereto, since various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of my invention, as defined by the following claims.

I claim: r V

l. A substantially Z-shaped piling section symmetrical about its central axis and comprising a web, a flange extending angularly from each of the edges of said web, and an interlock area extending from the outward edge of each of said flanges, one of said interlock areas being provided with a single tongue portion and the other interlock area being provided with a single groove portion shaped to correspond with said tongue portion, said interlock areas being substantially equal in size and offset slightly relative to the plane of the side faces of said flanges and-having their major axis extending substantially parallel to the plane of the side faces of the flanges, the

*center of gravity of said piling section being at the approximate center of said web at a point approximately midway between its edges, and the center of gravity of said interlock areas being substantially equi-distant from their center lines of I tongue portion of substantially triangular shape and the other interlock area being provided with a single groove portion shaped to correspond with and of slightly greater area than said tongue portion, said, interlock areas being equal in size and offset slightly relative to the plane of the side faces of said flanges and having their major axis extending parallel to the plane of the side faces of the flanges, the center of gravity of said piling section being at the center of said web at a point midway between its edges, and the centers of gravity of said interlock areas being equi-distant from their center lines of interlock and from' the outside faces of theflanges from which they extend whereby a line intersecting the points of center of gravity of said interlock areas will intersect the center of gravity of said web.

ADOLF BORBERG. 

